Containers and closures therefor



May 12, 1959 P. s. VAN BAAFQN CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 9, 1955 DJ 5 Inventor BMW BM HD f t arm May 12, 1959 P. s. VAN BAARN CONTAINERS ANDY CLOSURES THEREFOR 3 She ets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug 9, 1955 May 12, 1959 P. S. VAN BAARN CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 9, 1955 Q A ttorr; eys

nited States Patent This invention relates to necked containers and, more specifically, to closures therefor.

In accordance with the invention, a necked container is provided with a closing cap which can be screwed down on the neck into a sealing position and can be screwed back into a dispensing position in which the screwthread on the cap is clear of the screwthread on the neck and the cap is held captive on the neck by the abutment of a part projecting inwards at or near itslower end against a part of the neck.

. It is important that the screwthreads be disengaged before the abutting parts meet because otherwise, continued turning of the cap could cause the cap to be damaged. If, on the other hand, the cap is freely rotatable, only. a direct and ineffective pull can be exerted on it in an eifort to remove it.

The cap can be made of resilient material or rigid material but the inwardly projecting part should besuch that it can yield when the cap is forced down to spring past the part of the neck which is to hold it captive. The said projecting part can be an integral part of the cap or be a part which is fitted to the cap.

Preferably, the container is provided with a plug which liesin the neck of the container and is irremovable therefrom. The plug can be formed and mounted so that the extent to which it can move axially in the neck to allow the contents of the container to be dispensed is limited andis smaller than that of the cap. The plug can also be-v made to co-operate with the cap so that a completely air tight seal is provided and so that the container is virtually proof against being re-filled. I

I Various forms of construction in which such caps and plugs are provided are shown in the accompanying draw.- ings which are given by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 shows, partly in section, the neck of a container fitted with a closure in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows the neck of the container of Fig. 1 with the cap removed;

' Figures 3 and 4 are sections through the neck of a container having difierent forms of closures;

I Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V in Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is a section through the neck of a container having yet another form of closure;

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line VII-VII in Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is a section corresponding to Fig. 5 showing a modified form of closure; 0

Figure 9 is a section corresponding to Fig. 1 showing a closure with a difierent form of plug; and

- Figure 10 is a plan of a detail of Fig. 9.

Figure 1 shows a container 10, which may be a collapsible tube, having a neck 12 screwthreaded at 14. Beyond the lower end of the screwthread, the neck has projecting from it a rib or flange 16 the lower surface 18 of which lies in a plane normal to the axis of the neck.

Aplug 20 is engaged inthe neck. The lower end 22 of'this plug is a tight fit in the bore of the neck and its upper end 24 which is of larger diameter rests on the upper end of the neck. The upper end 24 of the plug is chamfered at 26. To provide a passage for the con tents of the container, the plug is provided with an axial channel 28 which extends from the lower end to near the upper end where four oblique channels 30 extend from it to the chamfer 26.

The container is provided with a cap 32 having a short internal screwthread 34 which can be engaged with the screwthread 14 on the neck. Below the screwthread 34 the bore of the cap is enlarged and is formed with. a chamfer 36 which can be seated on the sloping upper face of the flange 16. The bore is further enlarged below the chamfer 36 to provide a groove 38 bounded at its lower end by an. inwardly projecting flange 40.

In order to mount the cap on the neck of the container the flange 40 on the cap must be forced over the flange Men the neck. In the present instance, this is made pos+ sible by the fact that the cap is made of a resilient material.

To close the container, the cap is screwed down'on to the neck 2 so that a conical surface 42 at its upper end is brought to bear against the chamfered portion 26 of the plug 20 to obturate the exit orifices of the channel 30.

When the contents of the container are to be dis* pensed, the cap is screwed back so as to free the exit orifices, the contents being expelled through a hole 44 in the top of the cap.

It will be noted that when the cap is thus screwed back it remains captive on the neck because of the abut? ment of the flange 40 on the cap against the flat under surface 18 of the flange 16 on the neck. It will also be noted that when that abutment occurs, the screwthreads on the cap and neck are disengaged so that the cap is free to rotate. Accidental removal of the cap is, therefore, prevented and deliberate removal is made very difficult. Indeed, it is practically if not wholly impossible to remove the cap without destroying it while the risk of damaging the cap accidentally is negligible.

It will also be noted that when the cap is screwed down after some of the contents of the container have been dispensed, any of the contents which may lie in the space between the surfaces 42 of the cap end 26 of the plug will be expelled therefrom. .The cap is a close fit on the plug 20 and there is therefore no risk of the screwthreads being clogged by the contents of the container.

In the construction shown in Figure 3, the cap and the neck are screwthreaded as before and the cap has an internally projecting flange 40 which lies beneath a flange 16 on the neck so that it will be held captive when the screwthreads have been disengaged. In this case, however, the cap is a good fit above the screwthreadon the neck instead of on the plug and the plug is of. a different I kind. Here, the plug is movable relatively to the neck of the container and is made of a resilient material, pref= erably a synthetic resin such as polyvinyl-chloride. It has a spherical head 50 and a cruciform stem 52 which passes with clearance through the bore of the neck. The stem is flared at its lower end 54 so that when the'stem has been inserted in the neck (which involves the usev of suflicient force to cause the flared portion to yield),

the plug is capable of only a limited axial displacement relatively to the neck.

In the closed position shown in Figure 3, liquid tightness is ensured by the bearingof the spherical head 50 on a chamfer 55 at the outer end of the bore of the neck and.

a chamfer 56 round the opening 44 in the cap. The screwthreads are safeguarded against being fouled by the close fit of the cap on the neck. When the cap is,

screwed back to the open position, the screwthreads on the cap. andneck are disengaged but the cap remains captive because of the abutment of the flange 40 against the flange 18. The cap remains in close contact with the neck above the screwthreads. The axial displacement A of the cap is greater than that B of the plug so that the ball 50 can be lifted off the seating 55 without reaching the seating 56.

- The construction shown in Figures 4 and 5 diflfers from that illustrated in Figure 3 only with regard to the inwardly extending projection in the cap which causes the cap to be held captive. The cap, which can be of a rigid material such as a metal, is provided at its lower end with a groove 58 which receives a polygonal spring 60 parts 62 of which (as shown in Fig. 5) lie in the space within the cap outside the groove 58. When the cap is screwed back to the open position, the parts 62 abut against the underside of the flange 18 on the neck.

In Fig. 6, the cap 32 is a metal pressing the lower end of which is turned over inwards to form the projection 40 which, by its abutment against the flange 18 keeps the cap captive. The bent-over portion 40 is preferably cut at intervals (as shown at 64 in Fig. 7) to form teeth 66 which will yield when the cap is initially forced down on to the neck. In order to ensure liquid tightness a packing 68 which may be of plastic material is disposed in a groove in the neck.

Fig. 8, which is a section corresponding to that of Fig. 5 shows an arrangement which is suitable for the case in which the contents of a bottle or other container is to be dispensed at a controlled rate. Here the neck of the container below the flange 18 is polygonal (hexagonal as illustrated) or may be knurled. A spring 60 (corresponding to that of Fig. 5) has a kink 70 which bears against the neck and serves to hold the cap in any adjusted position. The teeth 66 of the flange 40 shown in Fig. 7 could be made to serve a similar purpose by hearing against a shaped or knurled portion of the neck.

The construction illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 is more particularly applicable to tubes containing a pasty substance which will dry rapidly. Here, a captive valve member 72 inside the plug 20 and projecting above the neck comprises an upwardly tapering portion which provides a seating for the cap which is formed with a mating aperture in its end wall, and a downwardly tapering portion which extends into the bore of the neck and seals the open end thereof when pressed downward by the cap. This valve member 72 is made of plastic material and has depending from it a thin metal tail 74 having flared ends 76 which will yield to allow the valve member 72 to be inserted in the neck but will resist its removal therefrom. The inclination of flared ends 76 of tail 74 is such that if the plug 72 is sought to be removed, the ends 76 will engage the inner edge of the bottom of the neck but will not be cammed inwardly to the extent which would be necessary to allow withdrawal of the plug from the neck. At the upper end, the valve. member has projecting guide pieces which engage the bore of the cap above the neck.

In each of the arrangements described and illustrated, thecap is captive and, because the screwthreads on it and the neck of the container can be disengaged, it is diflicult to apply to it, in an attempt to remove it, a force sufficiently great to damage it. The containers cannot be refilled without removing the plug.

The invention can be applied to all necked containers collapsible tubes, bottles, cans and so oncontaining liquid, pasty or powderedmaterials.

I claim: i

1. A closure arrangement, comprising, in combination, a container having a tubular neck formed with a thread; closure means for closing said neck andincluding a closure member having a tubular portion formed with athread adapted to mate with said thread of said tubular neck, said closure member being axially movable relative to said tubular neck between a closed position wherein'said threads mate with each other and an axially spaced open position wherein said threads are out ofv engagement and axially displaced past each other sothat said closure member is freely rotatable on said neck; and abutment means operatively associated with said container and said closure member for preventing removal of said closure member from said tubular neck, said abutment means being operative only when said closure member is in said open position thereof wherein said threads are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other.

2. A closure arrangement, comprising, in combination, a container having a tubular neck formed with a thread; closure means for closing said neck and. including :a closure member having a tubular portion formed with a thread adapted to mate with said thread ofsaid tubular neck, said closure member being axially movable relative to said tubular neck between a closed position wherein said threads mate with each other and an axially spaced open position wherein said threads are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other so that said closure second abutment means being so constructed and arranged as to engage each other upon axial movement of said closure member from said closed position thereofto said open position thereof after said' threads have-left engagement with each other. r I

3. A closure arrangement, comprising, in combination, a container having a tubular neck formed with athreadj closure means for closing said neck and including a 010- sure member having a tubular portion formed with 'a thread adapted to mate with said thread of said tubular neck, said closure member being axially movable relative to said tubular neck between a closed position wherein said threads mate with each other and an axially spaced open position wherein said threads are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other so that said closure. member is freely rotatable on said neck; and first and second abutment means on said container and said clo sure member, respectively, for preventing removal of said closure member from said tubular neck, said first and v second abutment means being so constructed and arranged as to engage each other upon axial movement of said closure member from said closed position thereofto said open position thereof and as to be spaced axially from each other, when said closure member is infsaid' closed position thereof, a distance which is at least 'as great as the axial distance throughout which said threads are in engagement with each other during axial movement of said closure member from said closed position thereof to said open position thereof. I

4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said first abutment means are integral with said tubular'neck of said container and wherein said second abutment means are integral with said closure member. y 5. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said first abutment means are integral with said tubular neck of said container and wherein said second abutment means include spring means carried by said closure member. 6. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said closure means further include a closure element movably interposed between the open end of the container'n'eck and said closure member, said closure memberbeing formed with an aperture registering with said open end," said closing element being adapted to close said open end of said tubular neck, said closure member being so constructed and arranged that when it occupies said closed position thereof, it engages said closure element and main; tains the same in a position wherein it closes said open end of said tubular neck.

7. The combination defined in claim 6. wherein s aid closure element has a first portion adapted to engage said open end of said tubular neck and a secondportion ex;

tending through said tubular neck, said second portion being so dimensioned as to permit axial movement of said closure element relative to said neck portion.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said second portion of said closure element is formed with an end portion which, in unstressed condition, has a transverse dimension greater than the greatest transverse dimension of the inside of said tubular neck, said end portion of said second portion being spaced from said first portion a distance reater than the axial length of said tubular neck portion so that said closure element is free to move axially Within predetermined limits.

9. A closure arrangement comprising, in combination, a container having a tubular neck formed with a thread; closure means enclosing said neck and including a closure member having a tubular portion formed with a thread adapted to mate with said thread of said tubular neck, said closure member being axially movable relative to said tubular neck between a closed position wherein said threads mate with each other and an axially spaced open position wherein said threads are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other so that said closure member is freely rotatable on said neck; and first and second abutment means on said container and said closure member respectively for preventing removal of said closure member from said tubular neck, said first and second abutment means being so constructed and arranged as to engage each other upon axial movement of said closure member from said closed position thereof to said open position thereof and as to be spaced axially from each other, when said closure member is in said closed position thereof, a distance which is at least as great as the axial distance throughout which said threads are in engagement with each other during axial movement of said closure member from said closed position thereof to said open position thereof; said closure means further including a closure element movably interposed between the open end of the container neck and said closure member, said closure member being formed with an aperture registering with said open end, said closing element being adapted to close said open end of said tubular neck, said closure member being so constructed and arranged that when it occupies said closed position thereof, it engages said closure element and maintains the same in a position wherein it closes said open end of said tubular neck; said closure element having a first portion adapted to engage said open end of said tubular neck and a second portion extending through said tubular neck, said second portion being so dimensioned as to permit axial movement of said closure element relative to said neck portion; said first portion having a substantially frusto-conical portion tapering toward said second portion and an additional frusto-conical portion tapering in the opposite direction, said first-mentioned substantially frusto-conical portion being adapted to engage said open end of said tubular neck and said additional substantially frusto-conical portion being adapted to be engaged by said closure member.

10. A closure arrangement, comprising, in combination, a container having a tubular neck formed with a first interlocking element; closure means for closing said neck and including a closure member having a tubular portion formed with a second interlocking element adapted to engage said first interlocking element of said tubular neck, said closure member being axially movable relative to said tubular neck between a closed position wherein said interlocking elements are engaged with each other, and an axially spaced open position wherein said interlocking elements are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other so that said closure member is freely rotatable on said neck, and abutment means operatively associated with said container and said closure member for preventing removal of said closure member from said tubular neck, said abutment means being operative only when said closure member is in said open position thereof wherein said interlocking elements are out of engagement and axially displaced past each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,112 Densmore Mar. 17, 1925 1,716,802 Stevenson June 11, 1929 1,779,703 Hawkins Oct. 28, 1930 1,958,429 Hartog May 15, 1934 2,032,305 Poulin Feb. 25, 1936 2,309,895 Grifiith Feb. 2, 1943 2,529,964 Raab Nov. 14, 1950 2,582,026 Friedman Jan. 8, 1952 2,621,832 Friedman Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 225,754 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1924 

